When a meditator has attained a certain state, he examines his mode of selective recognition, and discerns:- which mode will be conducive to decline of this state (hānabhāgiyā);- which mode will be conducive to stabilization of this state (ṭhitibhāgiyā);- which mode will be conducive to improvement of this state (visesabhāgiyā);- which mode will be conducive to ultimately reaching Nibbana (nibbedhabhāgiyā).

"And what, friend Sariputta, is the cause, what is the reason, why some beings do become totally unbound in the present life?"

"There's the case, friend Ananda, where beings discern, as it actually is present, that 'This perception has a share in decline;' 'This perception has a share in stability;' 'This perception has a share in distinction;' 'This perception has a share in penetration.' This is the cause, this is the reason, why some beings become totally unbound in the present life."

Generally 'nibeddhabhaagiya' means not just something that is above ordinary ('visesabhaagiya'), but to something that belongs to the advanced stages of the Path, is connected with 'nibbida' (satiety, surfeit, disenchantment), and ultimately leads to Nibbana.

This classification provides a method for more elaborate discrimination of mental processes during Buddhist practice: one discriminated not just skilful and unskilful processes, but those that lead to decline, to stability, to distinction and to Nibbana.

Vibhanga 330 describes another aspect, in relation to the development of samaadhi, that fourth kind of 'sa~n~naa' is associated with 'nibbidaa' (satiety) and 'dispassion' (viraaga). This definition is cited by Visuddhimagga and Atthakatha in explanation of four types of 'sa~n~naa'.

Vibhanga describes this classification as a moving frame, for each jhana the factors of the state below are 'conducive to decline', and the factors of the state above are 'conducive to distinction'. The fourth type remains the same for all jhanas.